Roof construction



Sept. 7 1926.

ROOF CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 3, 1926 I N V EN TOR. jlwizardlierens,

, ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 7, 1926 UNITED sralrss PATENT orries; I

RICHARD LEV ENS, OF JENKINTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

noon cons'rnucrl-on.

Application filed February This invention relates to roof constructions of the sectional type, and has for its. object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a roofconstruction including ready formed sheathing sections andready cut supports-for said sections and with said sections and supports of a form capable of being expeditiously assembled to form the roof, and further having associated therewith means whereby said sections and supports can be quickly secured together with respect to each other, and further whereby thoroughly eiiicien't in its use, readily assembled and secured in'position with respect to. the walls of a building, and inexpensive to manufacture.

With the foregoing and other objects in view,the-invention consistsof the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to 'be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

1n the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:-'-

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view, in longitudinal section, of'a roof construction in accordance with this invention; Figure '2 is a fragmentary view, in transverse section, .of the roof construction on line22, Figure 1. r I

FigureB is a-sectionon line 83, Figure 1. Figure 4 is a fragmentary view, in perspective, of a sheathing section looking to wards the inner face thereof and further illustrating such sections as provided with coupling members therefor.

Fgure '5 is a perspective view of one of the supports or rafters.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the coupling member between a-support or rafter and top of a wall of a building.

Figure 17 is a perspective "view of the form of coupling member employed for ashea'thing section.

"The roof includes aset-of spaced supports 2, 1526. Serial No. 85,744.

or raftersif the roof inclinesin but one direction, but if the roof inclines in opposite directions :two oppositely inclined sets of supports or rafters are employed, Each support orrafter is of the same construction and the description of onewill apply to the other. Each support or rafter 001 11 sists' of a bar lrstanding on edge and of the desired length, width and thickness. The bar 1 is formed nearits top edgewith a, series of spaced, lengthwise extending rectangular openings The end openings of the series are positioned at su'bstan tlal distances/from the ends of thebar l. The lower edge of the bar 1 is incut to form a triangular shaped cutaway portion 3 having its elongated'or inclined edge providing a seat and its short or vertical edge 5 ashoulder. The cutaway portion '3 is positioned in the-lower portion of the bottom edge of the bar 1. The bar '1. is furthermore provided with a rectangular opening .6 adjacent the inclined edge 'of the cutaway portion 3, and "which is arranged in proximity to the lower outer opening of the series of openings 2. The

plane of the top edgeof the bar 1', and the open ng 6 extendsin a planeparalle'l to the plane of the inclined edge-of the cutout portion 3;. 'Therefore, the opening 6 is angu larly disposed with respectfto the plane of any one of the openings '2. The opening '6 is of greater length and width than the length and Width "of an opening *2. The bar [1 has the lower terminal-portion o'fits "bota tom edge bevelled, as at 7. V

When the supports or rafters are setup in spaced relation, the width of the space openings '2 extend in a plane parallel to the onthe' sill ortop 9 of the wall 10 of a building, and the shoulder 5' abuts againstdthe outer side edge of said sill or top .9. See Figure 1. When two sets of supports or rafters are employed, the inner ends of the sets abut against each other, as indicated at 11 in Figure 1, and a central support 12 has the bottom edges of the supports or rafters of'the sets mounted tiereon, that is to say the inner terminal portions of'said bottom edges. The support 12 is oppositely bevelled, as at 13, which is provided to properly support the sets as these latter extend at opposite inclinations.

Each sheathing section 8 consists of a body portion formed of a plurality of parallel sheathing strips 14: secured in abutting e11- gagement by transversely extending purlins 15, which are secured by hold-fast devices 16 to the lower face of the strips 14:. The purlins 15 are of rectangular contour, of the desired width, but of a length to have each end thereof positioned at a point inwardly with respect to the side edges of the sheathing section. The length of each of the pur line is such that the purlin will snugly fit between a pair of bars 1 which form the supports or rafters. See Figure 3. As before stated, each sheathing section is mounted upon the top edges of a pair of bars 1. Each sheathing section is coupled to a pair of ad jacent sheathing sections 8 and for such purpose each purlin 15 has secured to each end thereof a coupling member 17 which consists of a rectangular strap of metal provided with a pair of openings. hen the sheathing sections 8 are mounted in position,

the coupling members 17 y are extended through .the openings 2 of the bar 1, and each coupling member is secured to the opposed ends of a pair of purlins 15 by holdfast devices each formed of a bolt 18 carry ing on its lower end a clamping nut 19 and having its head 20 countersunk in one of the strips of a sheathing section. The bolts employed in connection with each coupling member 17 extend down through a pair of sheathing sections, a pair of purlins 15, and through the openings in the coupling mem ber. The nuts 19on the pair of bolts bind against the lower faces of that coupling member with which they are associated, and by the foregoing construction the sheathing sections can be expeditiously assembled and secured to their supports 'or rafters, and furthermore when desired the sheathing sections and rafters can be quickly disconnected from each other. The openings in the coupling members through which the bolts extend, are indicated at 21.

The bar 1, which provides a support or rafter for the sheathing sections, is secured to the sill or top 9 of the wall 10 by an inerted yoke-shaped coupling member 22 having each of its arms provided at its lower end with an outwardly extending apertured flange 23. The yoke portion of the coupling member 22 is mounted to extend through the opening 6 and embrace the sides of the bar 1, and the flanges 23 are positioned upon the upper face of the sill or top 9 of the wall 10. A pair of hold-fast devices is employed for fixedly securing the coupling member 22 to the sill or top 9 of the wall 10, and each of the hold-fast devices consists of a bolt 24- carrying at its lower end a clamping nut 25 and a washer interposed between the nut 25 and the lower face of the sill 9. The head 26 of the bolt 24 abuts against the upper face of a flange 23. The bolts 24 extend down through the flanges 23 and sill 9, see Figure 2, and the clamping member 22 and bolts 21 with the clamping nuts 25 not only provide means for fixedly securing a rafter to the sill 9, but permit of disconnecting the rafter from the sill 9 when occasion requires.

Each sheathing section is of the ready form type and each support or rafter is of the ready cut type and this arrangement provides for the expeditious assembling of the sections and supports therefor when setting up the roof, and'further provides for the expeditious mounting of the supports or rafters upon the sill 9. The coupling members 17 are secured in position after the sheathing'sections 8 have been mounted upon their supports or rafters. The coupling members 22 are secured in position to anchor the sheathing supports or rafters before the sheathing sections are mounted in position. r

Each of the sheathing sections 8, at its upper end, has secured to its lower face a purlin 27 for connecting the strips 14C together. V 1 a It is thought the many advantages of a roof construction, in accordancewith this invention, can be readily understood, and although the preferred embodiment of the invention is as illustrated and described, yet it is to be understood that changesin the details of construction can be had which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed. I

lVhat I claim is V o r 1. In roof constructions of the sectional type, a sheathing support or rafter consisting of a bar of substantial length, width and thickness standing on edge and provided in proximity to its upper edge with a series of spaced openings for the passage of coupling members for sheathing sections, said bar further provided adjacent one of the outer of said openings with an opening for the passage of a coupling member to anchor the bar to a wall of a building.

2. In roof constructions of the sectional type, a plurality of spaced rafters each provided with a plurality of spaced openings near the top edge thereof and with an inclined opening arranged adjacent the lower end thereof, abutting sheathing sections mounted on the top edge of said rafters and provided with purlins on the lower faces thereof, coupling members extending through said plurality of openings and connecting the purlins of one section to the purlins of a pair of adjacent sections, and coupling members extending through said in-.

opening, abutting sheathing sections mounted on and extending lengthwise of said'raftcrs and each having its inner face provided with spaced transversely extending purlins, coupling members extending through the said sets of openings and adapted to be detachably connected to said purlins for an- 20 choring said sections to the rafters, and

coupling members extending through said forward openings and adapted to be detachably connected to the wall of a building for anchoring the rafters thereto.

4c. In roof constructions of the sectional type a rafter for supporting one side of a sheathing section and formed with spaced openings, a sheathing section having its inner face provided with purlins, a coupling member projecting from one of the purlins and extended through one of said openings for connecting the sheathing section to the rafter, and a coupling member extending through another of said openings and adapted to be detachably connected to the wall of a building for anchoring the rafter thereto. In testimony whereof, I affix my signature hereto.

RICHARD LEVENS. 

